BirthCare HealthCare, Pregnancy Care, & Gynecology Care
BirthCare HealthCare (BCHC) is a collaborative practice of certified nurse midwives and women’s health nurse practitioners. Our team of midwives and nurse practitioners work together to care for you through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. We practice the philosophy of midwifery with supportive care for women from all backgrounds.
We offer a variety of services for you and your baby:
- Prenatal care
- Labor and delivery care
- Care after birth including breastfeeding
- Gynecology exams
- Newborn care
- Assistance with family planning decisions
- Preconception care (care while you’re trying to get pregnant)
- Menopause management
- Counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention
BCHC providers train student nurses from the School of Medicine and College of Nursing who want to become certified nurse midwives or women’s health nurse practitioners. It is your choice whether you would like a student involved in your care. We encourage you to play an active role in your pregnancy and birth care.
Why Choose BirthCare HealthCare at U of U Health?
At University of Utah Health, you will have a support staff of highly experienced specialists throughout your labor and delivery:
- Midwives (on-site for 12-hour shifts)
- Nurses
- Medical assistants
- Dedicated newborn nurse
- Midwifery students (with your consent)
- Doulas (private)
- Back-up physicians, residents, pediatricians, and newborn care providers in case of an emergency
Low-Risk-Birth Rates
The majority of our patients have low-risk pregnancies and births. The BCHC has a 7% C-section rate for women having their first baby. The national average is 25.2% for women having their first baby via C-section. If surgery is needed, we will work with our obstetric providers to make the best decisions for you.
Routine Perineal Support
We provide warm compresses to stretch your perineum (patch of skin between vaginal opening and anus) naturally while you push during labor. We do not perform routine episiotomies (cut through perineum).
Low-Intervention Care
Our standard of care is rooted in low-intervention techniques:
- Eating and drinking throughout labor
- Cervical exam consent
- Upright labor positions
- Incorporating movement like walking, swaying, and standing
- Wireless or intermittent fetal monitoring
Your Choice of Pain Management
If medically safe, you may choose to use some, all, or none of the following pain management techniques:
- Nitrous oxide—A laughing gas that’s inhaled through a mask to keep you calm
- Waterbirth—Two birthing suites have bathtubs for water birth at University of Utah Hospital. Your midwife will determine if it’s safe for you to have a waterbirth.
- Water immersion—Sitting and floating in warm water during early labor and active labor
- Labor positioning and support—Standing, walking, squatting, leaning forward
- IV pain medication—Medication given through a vein in your arm.
- Epidural—An injection in your spine that numbs you from your belly button to the top of your legs. You’ll feel the pressure of labor without the pain.
Evidence-Based Practices
- Delayed cord clamping—Waiting 30 seconds to 10 minutes before cutting the umbilical cord can increase blood volume and iron levels. It can also reduce your baby’s risk of anemia.
- Promotion of skin-to-skin contact—Placing your baby on your skin immediately after giving birth
- Arm IV access
- Pitocin post-birth to prevent excess bleeding (hemorrhaging)
- Newborn medications
- Gentle C-section options if surgery is needed—A clear drape or drape with a window that allows you to see your baby being delivered.
Gynecology & Primary Care Services
Nurse midwives can also provide primary health care services for women and families. These services can include the following:
- Acute care (care for any medical condition that lasts less than three months)
- Urinary tract screening and treatment of infections
- Family planning/birth control
- Health coaching
- Health-risk assessments
- Hormone replacement therapy
- Immunizations
- Menopause care
- Personalized counseling on healthy lifestyles
- Preconception counseling
- Preventive care
- Routine exams
- Annual pelvic and breast examinations
- Pre-marital exams
- Pap tests
- Other screening tests
- Screening & treatment for sexually transmitted infections
Midwives listen to women and provide the information you need to make informed and educated decisions about your health care.
Finding the Best Nurse Midwife Near You
To find a nurse midwife near you, start with these things:
- Search your insurance information for your provider directory. This directory will have a list of the midwives covered by your network as well as the locations where they work.
- Ask family and/or friends for a recommendation.
- Get a recommendation from your family care or primary care providers.
- Search online by your city or location to find midwife clinics or centers near you. Once you find someone you like:
- Review their online profile for information about them and their patient reviews and/or
- Check with their office to see what insurance they take.
Find a BirthCare HealthCare Midwife
Labor & Delivery at U of U Health
Our providers attend births at University of Utah Hospital. The Labor and Delivery unit is on the second floor.
When you are admitted for labor and delivery, the midwife on call will meet you at the hospital and care for you through your labor and birth. The midwives rotate calls between 7 am and 7 pm.
University of Utah Hospital is the only hospital in the area to have earned the prestigious Baby-Friendly® designation from Baby-Friendly USA, a program that supports successful breastfeeding.
Schedule an Appointment
We recommend you schedule your appointments with the same 2–3 providers throughout your pregnancy if possible. Call 801-581-4014 to make an appointment or for scheduling questions.
MyChart is a secure, online health management tool you can use to send non-urgent questions and concerns. This is a great option for questions that can wait 2–3 days for a reply. BCHC providers team are able to answer most questions. Questions for a specific provider may be forwarded if appropriate. However, please note that it may take several days for a response.
Call your pharmacy first to initiate a refill request.
Urgent Concerns
Call 801-587-3822 to contact our midwife on call. This provider is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Depending on the needs of patients in active labor, it may take 20+ minutes for a response.
Virtual Prenatal Care
U of U Health offers virtual prenatal care. Before each virtual visit, you will record your weight, blood pressure, and baby’s heartbeat. These measurements allow your provider to know if your pregnancy is healthy. If there are any concerns, your provider will recommend that you visit the clinic for an in-person appointment.
Resources for Our Patients
What Is the Difference Between an OB/GYN & a Midwife?
Have you ever wondered the difference between a midwife and an OB? If so, you're not alone. There are so many blogs and forums that talk about midwifes and OB/GYNs.
YoMingo®: Prenatal Education On the Go
University of Utah Health offers anytime, anywhere education for expectant mothers through YoMingo®, with all the tools and support you need at every stage of your pregnancy, including:
- Evidence-based information on prenatal care, labor & birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and newborn care including lots of videos,
- List of available classes, and
- Kick counter, contraction timer, personal journal, feeding log, immunization log, and other tools.